Ethernet, Optical Transport Network (OTN), and Multiprotocol Label Switching Transport Profile (MPLS-TP) automatic protection switching under linear protection standards—such as the G.8031 Ethernet Linear Protection, G.873.1 OTN Linear Protection, or MPLS-TP Linear Protection G.8131.1 and G.8131.2 standards—may use protected paths, such as a working path and a protect path, to communicate between virtual local area networks. The paths are monitored, and if one of the paths is detected as faulty, the backup path may take over and traffic continues to flow. The standards have heretofore dictated the specific protocol for switching traffic between the paths in a variety of circumstances.